Aeroplane.



A. MELNICZAK.

AEROPLANE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1916- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I UNITE l ALEX MELNICZAK, F CAMDEN, JERSEY.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1 917.

Application filed December 18, 1916. Serial No. 137,627.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALnx MnLNIozAK, a subject of the Emperor of Austria,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jerse ,haveinvented certain new and useful mprovements in Aeroplanes, of which thefollowing is a specification. a

This invention relates to aeronauticalap 0 paratus and has specialreference to an apparatus of the helicopter type designed for use by asingle person to facilitate observations of the surrounding terrain.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved generalconstruction of devices of this character.

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of such a device whereby the helicopters may be actuated byeither. foot power or manually or both, the arrangement being such as topermit either power to run slower than the other or stop altogetherwithout af fectin the operation of the helicopters to stop t e' same.

Withthe above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparentthe invention consistsin general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the 95 several views, and

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of 1 Fig. 1. I go Fig. 4 is asection on the line Pd of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 5 is a detail section through themain drive shaft.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. In the embodiment of theinvention herein illustrated there is provided a breast plate 10preferably formed of leather or other like material and secured firmlyto this breast plate are the vertical frame members 11 rivets 12 beingpreferably employed for securing purposes. These frame-members arecurved at their top ends to provide shoulder engaging hooks 13 and onthe extremities of these hooks are connected securingstrapsld.

carried by the' sleeves 18.

The breast plate is also provided with a waist strap 15 and leg straps16. In this manner the device is 'rinly secured to the 'body of theuser.

Extending across the breast plate 10 and. firmly secured to the membersll is a tubular bearing sleeve 17 and at each end of this sleeve butspaced therefrom is a similar bearing sleeve 18, the latter beingsecured to the members 11 by braces 19. Through the sleeves 17 and 18extends a main shaft 20 which projects from the outer ends of thesleeves 18 and carries on the outer ends the bevel gears 21. These bevelgears 21 mesh with similar gears 22 mounted on stub shafts 23 journaledin bearing. brackets 24 On the upper ends of the shaft 23 are fixed thehubs 25 of helicopters having propeller blades 26.

Between the sleeve 17 and each sleeve 18 there is mounted fixedly ontheshaft 20 two pairs of ratchet wheels 27 and adjacent each of theratchet wheels 27 is a freely revolt,-

' ing sprocket28 carrying a pawl 29.

llxtending forwardly from themembers go .11 are brackets 30 havingbearings 31 their forward ends and through these bearings extends ashaft 32 having sprockets 33 fixed thereon and connected by chains withone of the sprockets 28 at each end. 0 the shaft 20. On this shaft 32are also handle cranks 35 so that the shaft 32 may be rotated by theuser and thereby the shaft 20 actuated to drive the helicopters, itbeing noted that the pawl and ratchet mechanism is arranged to causeactuation of the shaft 20 insuch direction that the helicopters willtend to liftthe user.

Below the shaft 20 is a sleeve 36 fixed to the members 11 and throughthis sleev'e extends a shaft 37 having sprockets 38 fixed thereon whichare connected to the remaining sprockets 28 by chains 39, On this shaft37 are also fixed cranks 40.

At the bottom ends of the members 11 is fixed. a bearing 41 wherethroughruns a double crank shaft 42 carrying pedals 43 which are'connected tothe cranks 4.0 by links 44. I v

In order'to afford means for locking the pawls when desired so that theratchets may actuate the shaft 20 in either direction there are providedpins 45 which may be inserted in suitable holes in the sprockets to holdthe pawls against disengagement.

By means of this construction no difficulty is experienced in operation,no matter Whether the operators hands work faster or slower than hisfeet, the maximum elfect being, of course, obtained when both hands andfeet work synchronously. I

In operation the device is strapped onto a man so that he can work thepedals .and upper crank shaft which in turn work the helicopters andthus raise him rapidly into the air. When the desired hei 'ht is reachedhe may observe a broad expanse of territory and by running thehelicopters at a proper speed may remain practically stationary. He mayalso carry up with him suitable communicating means such as a telephoneand in order to assist him a suitable aerostat 46 may be attached to thedevice.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kinddescribed and forthe purpose specified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be inade in the form andconstruction of the invention without departing from the materialprinciples thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the inventionto the exact form herein shown and described but it is wished to includeall such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a flying machine, the combination With a breast plate, means tosecure the breast plate to the body of a person, a shaft carried by thebreast plate and extending transversely of the body, a pedal operatedshaft supported from said breast plate, a manually operated shaftsupported from said breast plate, helicopters driven by the first shafton opposite sides of the breast plate and means to connect the firstshaft to each of the other shafts, sa1d means beinn arranged to permiteither of the lastmentioned shafts to rotate faster thanthe other in onedirection.

.2. In a flying machine, the combination with a breast plate, means tosecure the breast plate to the body of a person, a shaft carried by thebreast plate and extending transversely of the body, a pedal operatedshaft supported from said breast plate, a manually operated shaftsupported from said breast plate, helicopters driven by the first shafton opposite sides of the breast plate, sprockets freely revoluble on thefirst shaft, sprockets fixed to the last two shafts and connected bychains with the first sprockets, a ratchet fixed to the first mentionedshaft adjacent each of the first sprockets, and a pawl on each of thefirst sprockets coacting with the adjacent ratchet.

8. in a flying machine, the combination with. a breast plate, means tosecure the breast plate to the body of a person,a shaft carried by thebreast plate and extending a.

transversely of the body, a pedal operated shaft supported from saidbreast plate, manually operated shaft supported from. said breast plate,helicopters driven by the first shaft on opposite sides of the breast 3plate, sprockets freely re'voluble on the first shaft, sprockets fixedto the last two shafts and connected by chains with the first sprockets,a ratchet fixed to the first-mentioned shaft adjacent each of the firstsprockets, a pawl on each of'the first sprockets coacting with theadjacent ratchet and releasable means to lock said pawls on theirratchets.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALEX MELNICZAK. Y -Witnesses 2 Bnonisiaw Cinnowsnl, LnonenraCINsKoWs-Kr.

